up about five o'clock. Dey did an
ordinary day's work. He never whipped them unless they was lazy or
sassy or had a fight. Sometimes his slaves would run away but they
allus come back. We didn't have no truck with railroaders 'cause we
like our home.

A woman cussed my mother and it made her mad and they had a fight. Old
Master had them both whipped. My mother got ten licks and de other
woman got twenty-five. Old Mistress sho' was mad 'cause mother got
whipped. Said he wouldn't have done it if she had known it. Old
Mistress taught mother how to read and write and mother taught my
father. I went to school jest one day so I can't read and write now.

Weddings was big days. We'd have big dinners and dances once in a
while [HW: and] when somebody died they'd hold a wake. They'd sit up
all night and sing and pray and talk. At midnight they'd serve
sandwiches and coffee. Sometimes we'd all get together and play ring
plays and dance.

Once the Yankee soldiers come. I was big enough to tote pails and
piggins then. These soldiers made us chillun tote water to fill their
canteens and water their horses. We toted the water on our heads.
Another time we heard the Yankee's was coming and old Master had about
fifteen hundred pounds of meat. They was hauling it off to bury it and
hide it when the Yankees caught them. The soldiers ate and wasted
every bit of that good meat. We didn't like them a bit.

One time some Yankee soldiers stopped and started talking to me--they
asked me what my name was. "I say Liza," and they say, "Liza who?" I
thought a minute and I shook my head, "Jest Liza, I ain't got no other
name."

He say, "Who live up yonder in dat Big House?" I say, "Mr. John
Mixon." He say, "You are Liza Mixon." He say, "Do anybody ever call
you nigger?" And I say, "Yes Sir." He say, "Next time anybody call you
nigger you tell 'em dat you is a Negro and your name is Miss Liza
Mixon." The more I thought of that the more I liked it and I made up
my mind to do jest what he told me to.

My job was minding the calves back while the cows was being milked.
One evening I was minding the calves and old Master come along. He
say, "What you doin' nigger?" I say real pert like, "I ain't no
nigger, I'se a Negro and I'm Miss Liza Mixon." Old Master sho' was
surprised and he picks up a switch and starts at me.

Law, but I was skeered! I hadn't never had no whipping so I run fast
as I can to Grandma Gracie. I hid behind her and she say, "W